That Which Is Fundamental concert, 2016. Photo by Ben Tran, courtesy of Bowerbird.

Prev

Next

As part of its multi-part project That Which Is Fundamental, Bowerbird presents a multi-concert retrospective of the late African American composer Julius Eastman. Curated by Dustin Hurt, the concerts will include nine works, most of which have not been heard since their premieres decades ago.

That Which Is Fundamental is the first multi-concert retrospective of Eastman, who was an active composer in the 1970s and 80s, but who died homeless at the age of 49, leaving an incomplete but compelling collection of scores and recordings. Informed by research completed with support from a 2015 Center Discovery grant, Bowerbird will present four concerts highlighting Eastman’s compositional practice accompanied by an exhibition of video works inspired by Eastman’s archival materials.

Ars Nova Workshop presents a new commission created and performed by Nels Cline, lead guitarist for the band Wilco.An expansion of Cline’s 2016 recording Lovers (Blue Note Records), the new commission is inspired by research trips that led Cline on an inspiring journey through significant Philadelphia moments, artifacts, and sites.